1464, the War of the Roses has been raging for nine long years. Two royal houses, Lancaster and York, fight for the throne of England. The young Edward IV has deposed his cousin Henry VI and taken the throne by force. Henry is still at large as is h...
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6 MONTHS LATER
I found my grandmother in one of the room of the castle, sitting in a chair, alone. She wasn't like herself lately. I did not want to point it out, scared it would be rude to ask that type of things but I was starting to get concern. I walked in, poured wine in two cups and then walked to her.
« Grandmother ? » I called her now next to her
She looked a me « Oh ! Forgive me. I didn't hear you come in. » I handed her one of the glass « No, thank you. »
I frowned my eyebrows « Are you ill, to refuse a glass of good wine ? »
« No, no. » I put it on the table next to me and drank a sip of mine « I just haven't slept. In truth, I think I'd prefer to rest than dance. »
« You can't do that to me, Grandmother. I need you there. » I said « Edward will remind me that I am to marry in a week every second. I need moral support. »
« Is Richard not back yet ? » she asked
I shook my head negatively « I'm sure George told Edward about Richard and I so the King could send him away until I got married. Nothing could be worse. »
« Did you tell him yet ? In your letters ? »
« I can't. » I looked down to my glass « How can I ? I don't even want to get married to this man. »
« You still secretly hope it won't happen, don't you ? »
I smiled « My fate is in the hands of God. » I took another sip « Come on, Grandmother. Don't miss the Christmas celebrations.It is a year's worth of Court gossip at a single sitting. I know you love that. » She smiled « I'll call the physician for you. »
« No ! » she declared with a tone that wasn't usual « I don't need a physician. » I put my glass down « There's nothing for a physician to see and thank God, nothing that some fool with a knife could think to cut out. »
I grabbed her hand « Then what's wrong ? »
« My heart. » she answered and mine skipped a beat « It's beating strangely. I feel it skip a beat and then go slow. » I looked confused « It won't beat strongly again, Grace. »
« What are you saying ? »
« Prepare yourself ... and your Mother. » she answered « I won't be with you much longer. »
Remember when I said nothing could be worse ? Well, it did got worse ...
***
The rest of the day was a blur. I had to help my mother with her dress since her stomach got so big so fast. She looked like she was expecting any day now. But I wasn't fully there. I wasn't fully at the banquet either. The music and the people dancing made me sick to my stomach. I couldn't eat, I couldn't drink. I wanted to tell my mother about my grandmother but I couldn't. She needed to do it. I felt more and more dizzy, until I saw a silhouette. I had to blink multiple times before I could identify who it was. Richard ? I almost fell standing up and he caught me just in time.
